PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Domenic Recchia, Former Council Member and Finance Chairman of NYC City Council, on Ferry Service to Coney Island
2:08:59
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3 min
Domenic Recchia, a former NYC Council Member, testified about the need for a ferry service to Coney Island and the lack of a proper feasibility study despite previous agreements. He criticized the city's failure to conduct a comprehensive study as promised in the 2009 rezoning points of agreement and disputed claims about recent assessments.
- Recchia presented documentation showing a commitment to a ferry feasibility study for Coney Island within 3 years of the 2009 rezoning, which was never completed due to Hurricane Sandy.
- He challenged the EDC's claim of a 2022 feasibility analysis, stating that no thorough study has been conducted and the information provided was insufficient.
- Recchia offered to provide additional data and documentation to support the need for a proper ferry service study for Coney Island.
Domenic Recchia
2:08:59
Good afternoon.
2:09:00
It feels good to be back home.
2:09:02
My name is Dominic Embraerke Junior.
2:09:03
I'm from a councilman for Kony Island and the former finance chairman of this wonderful institution.
2:09:10
And I'm here today to talk about accessibility to Kony Island for a ferry that is greatly needed.
2:09:19
Back in 2009, when we did the rezoning in Kony Island, There was points of agreement.
2:09:25
I gave a copy for each member.
2:09:27
Inside the points of agreement, there's the whole area dealing with ferry.
2:09:33
And it clearly states that the city commits undertaking a ferry feasibility study Connie Allen within 3 years from the date of the rezoning.
2:09:41
Unfortunately, Sandy hit, and we never did the ferry study.
2:09:46
As of today, as they sit here today, there was never been a ferry study for Kony Island.
2:09:53
And the reason why there had to be a ferry study for Kony Island, because it's very difficult, and there was a discrepancy during the rezoning, whether to put it on the creek or the ocean side.
2:10:03
People in ABC wanted to creek, people in the Bloomberg Administration at City Hall, they didn't all agree with that.
2:10:11
And the city council, we had documentation that it could be put on.
2:10:16
The ocean side, and it was never done.
2:10:18
So they called for an in-depth study that was gonna take at least a year to do.
2:10:22
It was never done.
2:10:23
What the city did in 2018, 19, they did a full ferry study where they took talk a little bit about Kony Island, but they give no data.
2:10:32
They give no background.
2:10:34
They don't say who they're experts in.
2:10:36
The same problem with the wave titles and the win.
2:10:40
That's what they said back then.
2:10:41
But we had data in the city council because our environmental committee had the research to show that they were wrong.
2:10:50
Okay?
2:10:51
And today as it it poses me when they could come up here, and read into their testimony that in 2022, we conducted a feasibility analysis to assess other landing options to serve Kony Island, which is incorrect.
2:11:08
No one asked them, where is that study?
2:11:10
If they had that study, it showed it was no good, they would have said, here it is.
2:11:13
You know what the study was?
2:11:15
It was about all about assess Hold on.
2:11:19
I tell exactly what that study was about.
2:11:21
I pulled it up on my Hold on one second.
2:11:25
I had it right here.
Amanda Farías
2:11:28
Counseling.
Domenic Recchia
2:11:29
It was about a feasibility study all about hurricane Sandy and the way the winds and the tide destroyed Kony Island.
2:11:38
That's what it was about.
2:11:39
There's never been a study done, and this must stop.
2:11:43
The administration, EVC must keep their word.
2:11:45
I give you the ammunition to show that there was an agreement to say that there must be a study done immediately to see where we could put ferry service, how we could put it.
2:11:56
And if we can't, where's the documentation and who are the consultants?
2:12:01
Where's the names so forth?
Amanda Farías
2:12:03
Yeah.
2:12:03
Thank you so much for that.
2:12:04
We will definitely work through this this stock, a pile of paperwork he's been in front of us, but I appreciate getting And if any
Domenic Recchia
2:12:12
committee, if you and I'll ask and attorneys or anyone who wanna meet with me, I have tons of data tons of documentation to help out.